Cnotes 2014 NBA Playoff Best Bets- News,Stats-Trends !

[CNOTES]

NBA
Dunkel

Portland at San Antonio
The Spurs look to close out the series tonight at home where the Blazers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games. San Antonio is the pick (-7 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 11. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-7 1/2). Here are all of today's playoff picks.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14

Game 737-738: Brooklyn at Miami (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 118.375; Miami 129.936
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 11 1/2; 184
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 7; 188 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-7); Under

Game 739-740: Portland at San Antonio (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 120.033; San Antonio 131.167
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 11; 212
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-7 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, May 14

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BROOKLYN (49 - 44) at MIAMI (61 - 29) - 5/14/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 8-6 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-5 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (59 - 33) at SAN ANTONIO (69 - 24) - 5/14/2014, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 15-30 ATS (-18.0 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 152-119 ATS (+21.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 124-97 ATS (+17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 433-363 ATS (+33.7 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 123-86 ATS (+28.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 8-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-6 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, May 14

Lebron James went off for 49 points Monday to put Heat up 3-1; Nets are still 5-3 vs Miami this season, 2-2 here- they made 15-25 from arc in its Game 3 win, are 25-70 in other three games. Miami is 7-1 in playoffs, 3-1 vs spread at home- four of their last five games went over total. Nets are 5-6 in playoffs, 2-3-1 vs spread on road- they held Heat to 46% in its only win- Miami shot 49%+ in its three series wins. .

Spurs led first three games of series 65-39/70-51/60-40 at half; Portland sucked it up and avoided sweep with Game 4 win at home. Aldridge hit 11-21 shots last game, after going 15-46 from floor previous two games; Blazers are -23 in turnovers so far in series. Spurs won last four of last five games with Portland overall, winning first two games of this series by 24-17 points here. Overall, San Antonio is 22-24 vs spread at home.

Over is 41-27 in playoffs this season, 10-8 in this round.
Favorites are 23-45 in playoffs this season, 7-11 in this round.




NBA

Wednesday, May 14

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. MIAMI
Brooklyn is 5-16 SU in its last 21 games when playing Miami
Brooklyn is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
Miami is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

9:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. SAN ANTONIO
Portland is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Portland is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games at home
San Antonio is 20-2 SU in its last 22 games at home


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NBA

Wednesday, May 14

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Trail Blazers at Spurs: What bettors need to know
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Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs (-7.5, 208.5)

The Portland Trail Blazers avoided elimination for at least one more game and will attempt to keep their season alive when they visit the San Antonio Spurs for Game 5 on Wednesday. The Trail Blazers made some changes to their rotation in Game 4 to catch the Spurs off-guard and dominated the final 17 minutes to pull within 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Portland is attempting to become the first NBA team in history to recover from a 3-0 deficit and win the series.

San Antonio let it slip away and barely attempted to recover on Monday, sitting Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker for the entire fourth quarter in the 103-92 loss. The Trail Blazers have been missing something off the bench with Mo Williams (groin) down, but Will Barton stepped up with 17 points in 30 minutes in Game 4 while Thomas Robinson added nine points and five rebounds. “We did what we needed to do and we’re looking forward to going to San Antonio and keep competing and keep playing our basketball,” Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Portland held a lead for just 33 seconds total in the first three games of the series but took control at the end of the first quarter and held off the Spurs the rest of the way in Game 4. The big run came at the end of the third quarter, when Nicolas Batum converted a four-point play and buried another 3-pointer to spark a 20-7 surge. “We just played with a lot more energy,” guard Damian Lillard told reporters. “Usually we come out and we’re fighting from behind. We’ve had good third quarters every game, but (Monday) we had a lead going into the third, so it was a little bit different.” Batum finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists and is embracing the challenge of digging out of the 3-0 hole. “Like we said, why not us? It’s never been done before,” Batum said.

ABOUT THE SPURS: San Antonio is not worried about the Trail Blazers coming back and is ready to close things out in Game 5. “We have to treat Wednesday’s game like it’s a Game 7,” Parker told reporters. “It’s a big game for us. We worked hard the first three games to be in that position.” Parker outplayed Lillard in each of the first three games but was held to a series lows of 14 points and one assist in Game 4 before sitting out the final 14 minutes-plus. Portland tried out Batum defensively against Parker and kept the speedy guard from getting into the lane at will as he had in the first three games.

TRENDS:

* Over is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings.
* Trail Blazers are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Spurs are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 5-0 in Spurs last five home games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Lillard is the first player in NBA history to record 25 or more 3-pointers and 50 or more free throws in his first 10 postseason games.

2. Spurs G Danny Green is 4-of-18 from 3-point range in the series.

3. Portland is the last team to force a Game 7 after being down 3-0 in a series, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 4-3 in the first round in 2003.


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NBA

Wednesday, May 14/B]

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Nets at Heat: What bettors need to know
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Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat (-7, 188.5)

LeBron James has put Miami in position to close out the Eastern Conference semifinals and he will have a hard act to follow when the Heat host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. James tied his personal playoff career high and set a Miami franchise record with 49 points in Game 4 as the Heat produced a 102-96 victory to take a 3-1 lead. Brooklyn won all four regular-season meetings but needs to come up with a strong effort to force a Game 6 at home.

The Nets had no answer from the outset for James, who was 16-of-24 from the field while matching the 49 points he scored against Orlando in 2009 while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even with all those points, it was center Chris Bosh who drained the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 57.3 seconds left as James spotted him wide open in the right corner. “He just showed great poise and trust to make the right basketball play,” coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters of James’ decision to pass. “He reads the game as well as anybody that’s played the game.” Brooklyn set a franchise playoff record with 15 3-pointers in its Game 3 win before dropping off to 5-of-22 in Monday’s loss.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE NETS: Only eight teams have rebounded from a 3-1 deficit to win an NBA playoff series and the task is harder for Brooklyn when you factor in it needs to win three straight against the two-time defending champs. The veteran club knows it is on the verge of elimination but continues to vow the series will tighten up. “We just got to get one game,” forward Paul Pierce told reporters after Game 4. “That’s the mindset. The series is far from over.” Getting a solid performance from Deron Williams would help the cause as the point guard is just 8-of-34 shooting over the past three games after being a solid 7-of-10 for 17 points in Game 1.

ABOUT THE HEAT: James could have reached 50 points but he split two free throws with 1.1 seconds left. He had 25 points in the first half and 15 more in the third as Brooklyn struggled to defend him. James was rubbed wrong by some trash talking from Pierce after the Nets won Game 3 and now has his focus on ending the series in five games and not making a return to Brooklyn until next season. “Play with a sense of urgency defensively, help one another, communicate, try to get the ball moving offensively from one side to the other and attack,” James told reporters of the Game 5 plan. “If we do those things, and do it with a clear mind but at the same time an aggressive mind, we give ourselves a good chance to win.”


TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings in Miami.
* Home team is 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Nets last five overall.
* Heat are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 Wednesday games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. SG Dwyane Wade, who is averaging 15.8 points in the series, held the former Heat playoff record of 46 points, set in 2010.

2. Brooklyn F Mirza Teletovic missed all three of his 3-point attempts in Game 4 after going 10-of-16 over the previous two games.

3. James has scored 30 or more points in four of Miami’s eight postseason games.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA

Wednesday, May 14


Underdog shines on hardwood yet again

The underdog had another great night for bettors, going 2-0 against the spread in Tuesday's NBA Playoff action.

The Washington Wizards thumped the Indiana Pacers 102-79, covering as a 5.5-point road dog, and the Oklahoma City Thunder won 105-104, but it was the Los Angeles Clippers who covered as 5.5-point road dogs.

Underdogs are now 9-1 ATS since Friday May 9 and are 12-6 ATS in the conference semifinal round of the postseason.

The Brooklyn Nets are 7-point road dogs at the Miami Heat and the Portland Trail Blazers are 7.5-point road dogs at the San Antonio Spurs in Wednesday's matchups.

 

[CNOTES]

Game 5 - Nets at Heat

May 13, 2014


Brooklyn (49-44) at Miami (61-29)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 5 - Miami leads series 3-1
Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Miami -7, Total: 189

The Heat look to close out their Eastern Conference Semifinals series on Wednesday night when they host the Nets in Game 5.

Brooklyn seemingly had all of the momentum heading into Game 4 after a big home win in Game 3. However, Miami was ready to play and made 53% FG in 102-96 victory to take a 3-1 series lead. LeBron James scored 31 more points than any other player on Monday, finishing with an astounding 49 points in 43 minutes. The Heat now head back home where they are 36-9 SU (but only 21-23-1 ATS) this season, and are a dominant 5-2 (SU and ATS) versus the Nets over the past three seasons. Six of those seven games in South Beach have gone Under the total.

Miami is now 7-1 SU (6-2 ATS) this postseason, and is also 7-1 ATS this season after three straight games forcing its opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers. The team is also 20-8 ATS in that same scenario over the past three seasons as well. Brooklyn is a horrible road team at 18-29 SU (21-25-1 ATS), but is 3-1 ATS after a game forcing an opponent to commit eight or less turnovers. They are also 2-0 ATS this postseason when facing elimination in a playoff series and 9-2 ATS since 1996 in the fifth game of a playoff series. There are no significant injuries for either team.

The Nets fought until the very end of Game 4, but they ultimately had no answer for LeBron James. After the Nets went 15-of-25 from three-point range in Game 3, they were ice-cold shooting in Game 4 at just 5-of-22 threes, and if just a couple more fell throughout the game, they might have pulled out a victory. SF Paul Pierce (13.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) had 16 points (6-of-11 FG) and seven rebounds in 32 minutes, but he was unable to connect from long range during the game (0-for-4 threes). After playing excellent defense on LeBron James in Game 3, he really struggled to stay in front of him in Game 4. PG Deron Williams (14.3 PPG, 6.0 APG, 1.1 SPG in playoffs) played a solid all around game on Monday, finishing with 13 points (5-of-14 FG), seven assists and six rebounds in 32 minutes. Williams was a lot more aggressive offensively in this game, but he has still been struggling with his shot this series (34% FG) and just does not look like the same player he was for the majority of the first-round series versus Toronto.

SG Joe Johnson (20.0 PPG in playoffs) followed up a 19-point performance in Game 3 with 18 points on horrible shooting (5-of-15 FG, 2-of-7 threes). However, Johnson was not hitting his shots, and the Nets will need him to heat up quickly for Game 5. SG Shaun Livingston (9.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.4 APG in playoffs) had 13 points and four assists in 34 minutes on Monday, but also posted a minus-17 rating. The Nets will need him to play well in Game 5 if they are going to extend their season for another game.

The Heat did not play a great game on Monday, but luckily for them, they still have superstar SF LeBron James (30.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.9 SPG in playoffs). James was in a zone on Monday night, tying his playoff career high with 49 points (16-of-24 FG, 3-of-6 threes, 14-of-19 FT). James also had six rebounds, three steals, two assists, one turnover and a +13 rating. He was using his size and making some nice shots from mid-range all evening. He will look to get some similar looks on Wednesday, as he tries to close out the Nets. Although James played an outstanding game, he will still need more help from SG Dwyane Wade (16.6 PPG, 4.1 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) for the rest of the playoffs. Wade had 15 points (7-of-13 FG) in Game 4, but he was pretty much non-existent after a good first half.

The Heat will really need Wade to be aggressive and play like his former self, rather than be content taking a back seat to both James and PF Chris Bosh (14.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.6 BPG in playoffs). Bosh had a pedestrian 12 points (5-of-9 FG, 2-of-6 threes), five rebounds, three blocks and two steals in Game 4. He was playing excellent defensively, but he has fallen a little too much in love with his three-point shooting in this series, which is not a good thing considering he's 4-of-16 from downtown this series. The Heat will need Bosh to operate in the mid-range game like he usually does. SG Ray Allen (8.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG in playoffs) continues to make a mark in this series. He had 11 points and seven rebounds in the game, and was clutch when the Heat gave him the ball to close it out from the free-throw line towards the end of regulation. Miami will need Allen to continue hitting his open shots and rebounding like he has (5.7 RPG in past three games) if they are going to advance to the next round on Wednesday.

 

[CNOTES]

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Nets at Heat
Tue, May 6 Final 86 to 107
Recaps

GAME 2
Nets at Heat
Thu, May 8 Final 82 to 94
Recaps

GAME 3
Heat at Nets
Sat, May 10 Final 90 to 104
Recaps

GAME 4
Heat at Nets
Mon, May 12 Final 102 to 96
Recaps

GAME 5
Nets at Heat
Wed, May 14 - 7:00PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Trail Blazers (54-28) at Spurs (62-20)

Date: May 14, 2014 9:30 PM EDT


SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Tony Parker has long been Nicolas Batum's friend and mentor, both on the French national team and in their NBA careers.

So it was understandable after Batum's dominance in Game 4 of the playoff series between the Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers that San Antonio's veteran point guard cracked a smile when asked if he had a part in his pal's success.

'I'm happy for him. He's doing great,' Parker said. 'He's doing everything he can to help his team out there. You have to give him credit.'

Batum had 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in the Trail Blazers' 103-92 victory Monday night. Portland avoided elimination and narrowed the series to 3-1, sending it back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Wednesday.

No NBA team has ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts, well aware that he had to do something, switched things up heading into Game 4 and gave Batum the task of stopping his countryman.

The combination seemed to work: Parker scored 14 points in Game 4 after averaging 26 points and more than eight assists in the first three games of the series.

'I just did my job,' Batum said. 'My job was to slow him down. He's had a great series so far. He's a great champion. So I just tried to do my job and slow him down.'

Parker, who had just one assist and three turnovers, was the top scorer for the Spurs, who as a whole scored far fewer than the 116 points they averaged in the first three.

'You have to give a lot of credit to Portland,' Parker said. 'They played great, they came out of the gates. Batum was great, he gave them a big boost. He got on the boards and was everywhere.'

Parker scored 29 points in San Antonio's 118-103 Game 3 victory on Saturday night. The Spurs had routed the Blazers 116-92 in the series opener after their grueling seven-game first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks, then built a 20-point lead and handily won Game 2 114-97.

The Spurs are looking to advance to the Western Conference finals for the third straight season. The winner of their series with the Blazers will face the winner of the other semifinal between the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

San Antonio, which has won four NBA titles, has reached the playoffs 17 straight seasons.

Portland made it to the second round for the first time in 14 years by defeating the Houston Rockets in six games, clinching the series with Damian Lillard's amazing 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 99-98 victory at home in the deciding game.

Monday night's victory over the Spurs was their first in a second round since beating Utah in the 2000 conference semifinals.

'We had nothing to lose,' Batum said. 'We had no pressure. If we lose, we're on vacation. So we just went out there and played our game the way we're used to playing.'

No matter how hopeful the win made the Blazers, the fact remains that they are one loss from elimination. Batum tried to spur his teammate along by asking 'Why not us?'

The Blazers were the last team to take a series to seven games after dropping the first three. Portland rebounded in the first round against Dallas in 2003 but ultimately lost the first-round series' deciding game.

'We are confident,' Blazers guard Wesley Matthews said. 'Someone has to make history at some time. Might as well be us.'

 

[CNOTES]

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Trail Blazers at Spurs
Tue, May 6 Final 92 to 116
Recaps

GAME 2
Trail Blazers at Spurs
Thu, May 8 Final 97 to 114
Recaps

GAME 3
Spurs at Trail Blazers
Sat, May 10 Final 118 to 103
Recaps

GAME 4
Spurs at Trail Blazers
Mon, May 12 Final 92 to 103
Recaps

GAME 5
Trail Blazers at Spurs
Wed, May 14 - 9:30PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday's Playoff Tips

May 14, 2014


Two conference semifinals series can end tonight with victories by each of the two teams that played in last summer’s NBA Finals. The Heat extended their series lead to 3-1 after holding off the Nets on Monday, while the Spurs couldn’t quite finish off the Blazers in four games. Favorites have slightly improved in this round following a disastrous opening round against the spread (15-34-1 ATS), but own a 7-11 ATS mark in the conference semifinals after the Wizards and Thunder cashed on Tuesday.

Nets at Heat (-7, 189) – 7:05 PM EST – TNT

After getting swept in the regular season by Brooklyn, the Heat is one win away from eliminating the Nets in the second round. It didn’t come easy in Monday’s 102-96 triumph as two-point favorites for the defending champion Heat, who leaned on LeBron James, tying his playoff career-high of 49 points. Miami built a seven-point halftime lead at 56-49, but the Nets rallied back to grab a three-point advantage in the fourth quarter. However, the Heat’s defense stepped up in the end to capture their first win at Barclays Center in four tries this season.

The Nets were limited to one field goal in the final 4:20 of regulation, a garbage-time layup by Mirza Teletovic with seven seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 99-96. Fifty seconds earlier, Chris Bosh drilled a wide-open three-pointer in the corner to break a 94-94 tie and give the Heat the lead for good, while Miami picked up its 10th consecutive win in the playoffs coming off a loss dating back to 2012. Another key for the Heat was limiting Brooklyn’s success from the three-point line, as the Nets hit only five treys in Game 4 after knocking down 15 shots from downtown in the Game 3 victory.

The ‘over’ cashed in each of the last two games at the Barclays Center, but Brooklyn’s offense sank when it played the first two contests in South Florida, averaging 84 points per game. Deron Williams has scored in double-figures just twice through the first four games of this series, while being held scoreless in the 12-point loss in Game 2 last Thursday.

VegasInsider.com’s Chris David believes that the Heat will shut the door on the Nets tonight, “The only thing that surprises me in this series is that it’s not over already. If it wasn’t for 15 made 3-pointers by the Nets in Game 3, it would be. If you expect the Nets to extend this series, then you’re expecting them to shoot better, something they haven’t been able to do in a pair of trips to Miami.”

Following the pair of ‘overs’ in Brooklyn, David says the Nets will likely revert to the offense seen in the first two games, “Jason Kidd must know that his team can’t run with Miami and they need to slow the game down. In four trips to Miami this season, the Nets have scored 96, 88, 86 and 82 points. I do believe the game will be a grinder and these totals have been real close to the number. The pace has been super slow in every game and barring a ton of whistles, I don’t see both teams getting into the nineties.”

Erik Spoelstra’s club owns an impressive 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS record the last 10 games off a road win since mid-February, while Miami has compiled a 6-2 ATS mark in the postseason. Since Thanksgiving, the Nets have put together a horrible 2-9 SU and 4-7 ATS record coming off a home loss, but Brooklyn is 2-0 SU/ATS in the playoffs when looking to avoid elimination.

Blazers at Spurs (-8, 208 ½) – 9:35 PM EST – TNT

For the first time in the last five opportunities, San Antonio did not finish off a sweep when owning a 3-0 series lead, as the Spurs were tripped up by the Blazers in Game 4 at the Moda Center, 103-92. Portland snapped a seven-game ATS skid as it cashed as 4 ½-point home underdogs, while riding a 35-20 third quarter run to keep its season alive. Granted, the Blazers still have a large hole to crawl out of heading back to the Lone Star State tonight, but Portland did show some signs of life in its possible home finale.

The Blazers pulled down 53 rebounds on Monday night, while limiting the hot-shooting Spurs to just 44% from the floor and 3-of-18 from three-point range. Portland hit just 44% of its shots, but received a boost off the bench from Will Barton, who scored 17 points, while Damian Lillard finally got the best of Tony Parker in the point guard battle as Lillard put up a game-high 25 points. The Blazers will close the season not losing consecutive home contests, going 8-0 at home off a defeat at the Moda Center.

David looks at this contest as one that will be a run-and-gun affair, “While I believe the Nets and Heat will be a low-scoring game on Wednesday, I feel the opposite with the Spurs and Trail Blazers. Both clubs have been strong ‘over’ looks in the postseason and even though they only combined for 195 points in Game 4, the pace was fast and the outcome was decided by a ton of missed shots and more importantly, a lack of free throw attempts. The total comes down a few points, which helps us if the game does get out of hand. Even so, Portland is facing elimination and will do anything possible to extend the series, which could create extra points at the end of the game.”

To support David’s analysis, the Spurs have hit the ‘over’ in five of the past six opportunities after being held to less than 100 points, including three times in the playoffs. Since early February, San Antonio has won seven of its last eight off a road loss, but compiled a 4-4 ATS record. The Blazers have drilled the ‘over’ in six of its past seven away contests, while allowing at least 105 points in all five road postseason games.

 

[CNOTES]

2014 Playoff Results

May 14, 2014


Betting Results

Second Round
Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away
Straight Up 10-8 10-8
Against the Spread 7-11 7-11
Total
Over-Under 10-8


Eastern Conference Semifinals

(E1) Indiana vs. (E5) Washington
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Washington (+4, +155) at Indiana 102-96 Underdog Over (184)
2 Washington at Indiana (-4.5) 86-82 Underdog Under (187)
3 Indiana (+5, +180) at Washington 85-63 Underdog Under (183.5)
4 Indiana (+3.5, +145) at Washington 95-92 Underdog Over (179.5)
5 Washington (+5.5, +190) at Indiana 102-79 Underdog Under (181.5)
6 Indiana at Washington - - -
7 Washington at Indiana - - -


(E2) Miami vs. (E6) Brooklyn
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Brooklyn at Miami (-8) 107-86 Favorite Over (192)
2 Brooklyn at Miami (-6.5) 94-82 Favorite Under (192)
3 Miami at Brooklyn (+1, +100) 104-90 Underdog Over (188)
4 Miami (-2) at Brooklyn 102-96 Favorite Over (186.5)
5 Brooklyn at Miami - - -
6 Miami at Brooklyn - - -
7 Brooklyn at Miami - - -


Western Conference Semifinals

(W2) Oklahoma City vs. (W3) L.A. Clippers
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Los Angeles (+5.5, +200) at Oklahoma City 122-105 Underdog Over (213.5)
2 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (-5) 112-101 Favorite Under (215)
3 Oklahoma City (+4.5, +165) at Los Angeles 118-112 Underdog Over (215)
4 Oklahoma City at Los Angeles (-5) 101-99 Underdog Under (214)
5 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (-5.5) 105-104 Underdog Under (214)
6 Oklahoma City at Los Angeles - - -
7 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City - - -


(W1) San Antonio vs. (W5) Portland
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Portland at San Antonio (-6.5) 116-92 Favorite Over (207)
2 Portland at San Antonio (-6.5) 114-97 Favorite Over (208.5)
3 San Antonio (PK, -110) at Portland 118-103 Favorite Over (208)
4 San Antonio at Portland (+4.5, +170) 103-92 Underdog Under (211)
5 Portland at San Antonio - - -
6 San Antonio at Portland - - -
7 Portland at San Antonio - - -

 

[CNOTES]

Record in the playoffs as of TUESDAY Night :

23 - 12 ..............................*****

23 - 23 ..............................DOUBLE PLAY

30 - 25- 2...............................TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, May 14

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat, 7:00 ET
Brooklyn: 4-12 ATS after a loss by 6 points or less
Miami: 9-1 ATS when playing 5 or less games in 14 days

Portland at San Antonio, 9:35 ET
Portland: 9-21 ATS in road games after a win by 10 points or more
San Antonio: 24-12 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite

 

[CNOTES]

Wednesday, May 14

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Brooklyn - 7:00 PM ET Brooklyn +7 500 *****

Miami - Under 189 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Portland - 9:30 PM ET San Antonio -8.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

San Antonio - Over 208.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday's Playoff Tips

May 15, 2014


The Heat and Spurs both advanced to the conference finals with victories last night, as two more teams have opportunities to move forward tonight. Miami and San Antonio both took care of business on its home court, but Indiana and Oklahoma City need a road win to advance tonight. On the against the spread front, the underdogs keep cashing with the Nets taking home the money as seven-point underdogs in the two-point defeat to the Heat, while the Blazers were blown out by the Spurs. Currently, underdogs own a 12-8 ATS record in the conference semifinals, improving to 43-26-1 ATS in the playoffs.

Pacers at Wizards (-4 ½, 180 ½) – 8:00 PM EST – ESPN

In one of the weirder series to figure out in these playoffs, Indiana tries to close out Washington at the Verizon Center tonight after getting routed by the Wizards in Game 5. Washington stayed alive with a 102-79 destruction of Indiana on Tuesday to cash outright as 5 ½-point underdogs, marking the fourth time in five games of this series that the road ‘dog has won. The roller-coaster Pacers looked completely flat from the tip, scoring just 38 first half points, while getting outrebounded by the Wizards, 62-23, the third-largest rebounding disparity in playoff history.

After Roy Hibbert dominated the middle for the Pacers in Game 2, Washington big man Marcin Gortat scored a playoff career-high 31 points on an efficient 13-of-15 shooting, while pulling down 16 rebounds. On the flip side, Hibbert reverted back to his playoff self by putting up just four points on 2-of-7 shooting, the fifth time in the last 10 games in which the Indiana center has scored four points or less. Another key for the Wizards in Game 5 was the emergence of John Wall, who has struggled scoring at times in the playoffs. The former top pick scored a playoff career-best 27 points, matching his point total from the losses in Game 3 and Game 4 at home.
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Playing at home for the Wizards has looked like a disappearing act for Randy Wittman’s team, who compiled point totals of 63 in Game 3 and 92 in Game 4. The game in which they scored 92 points actually went ‘over’ the total of 187, as Washington threw away a 19-point lead in a 95-92 defeat, while owning a 1-3 SU/ATS record at the Verizon Center in the playoffs.

VegasInsider.com’s Chris David provides an easy way to figure out this matchup, “This series has been very simple to handicap, just grab the points with the road team. It’s 5-0 ATS after five games and you really have no reason to go against that trend on Thursday. Washington was a mediocre team in the regular season (22-19) and that carry-over has produced a 1-3 record in the postseason. As bad as Indiana looked in Game 5, it hasn’t dropped back-to-back games in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Washington extend the series but based on these trends, I’m leaning to the road underdog in this spot.”

The Pacers have covered all three games in the postseason as an underdog, while hitting the ‘under’ in four of five playoff contests away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Thunder at Clippers (-5, 212) – 10:30 PM EST – ESPN

Oklahoma City and Los Angeles are reenacting the end of “Rocky II” throughout this series with each team going back and forth and falling to the mat. However, the Thunder looks like the team that will get up last, heading to Staples Center tonight trying to move on to the Western Conference Finals with a win over the Clippers.

The Clippers rallied from a 22-point deficit to stun the Thunder in Game 4, but the Thunder turned the tables on Los Angeles in Game 5 by erasing a seven-point deficit in the final 45 seconds to pull off a shocking 105-104 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. Russell Westbrook continued a strong playoff effort with 38 points, including three free throws after getting fouled late by Chris Paul. The Thunder overcame a poor shooting night from MVP Kevin Durant (6-of-22), while OKC didn’t cover as 5 ½-point favorites, marking the third straight cover by the underdog in this series.

David says there is no definite side to back after the final minute meltdowns in Games 4 and 5, “After watching both teams have monumental collapses in the last two games, I’m a little gun shy to back either squad in Game 6. However, I do believe the adjusted series price is too inflated. Most shops have the Clippers listed as a 3/1 choice to rally from a 3-2 deficit and advance. Rather than give 4 ½ points in Game 6, I’ll take those odds and hope for the straight up win. If L.A. does force a Game 7, you can let it ride with the visitor or get out and play Oklahoma City on the money-line, which should be -220 or -240, give or take a few cents. Either way, you’ll have options available if the Clips force Game 7 and if you’re very creative, you can wait on the hedge and place some Live Betting wagers come Saturday as the game begins.”

The Clippers have covered just two of six playoff games at Staples Center, while going 5-1 to the ‘over’ at home. Doc Rivers’ team is just 2-5 ATS in the last seven games off a road loss, which includes a 118-112 defeat to the Thunder in Game 3 of this series.

 

[CNOTES]

Game 6 - Pacers at Wizards

May 15, 2014


Indiana (63-31) at Washington (50-42)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 6 - Indiana leads series 3-2
Tip-off: Thursday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Washington -4.5, Total: 181

The Wizards will try to keep the momentum going when they attempt to tie up their Eastern Conference Semifinals series at home versus the Pacers on Thursday night.

Washington had averaged only 79.0 PPG on 41% FG (27% threes) over three straight defeats in this series, but shot a blistering 50% FG in Tuesday's surprising 102-79 blowout of host Indiana in Game 5. The Wizards got 90 points from their starting five and held a ridiculous 62-23 rebounding advantage (18-4 on offensive glass) thanks in large part to the Pacers making only 39% FG and 59% free throws (13-of-22). Now they go back on the road where they are a strong 25-21 SU (21-25 ATS) this season, and are also 19-9 ATS in the past two seasons on the road revenging a loss versus an opponent.

Although Washington has been a subpar home team this season at 23-22 SU and 17-26-2 ATS, the club has thrived in the underdog role at 30-17-1 ATS (64%). Over the past three seasons, Indiana is 11-4 SU (6-9 ATS) overall in this series, including 5-2 SU (4-3 ATS) in the nation's capital. Although the Pacers are a dismal 5-16 ATS (24%) when facing a winning team in the second half of this season, they are also 21-11 ATS (66%) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points in the past three seasons. The Wizards have no significant injuries, while Indiana remains without backup C Andrew Bynum (knee).

Indiana's offense struggled during the regular season (96.7 PPG on 44.9% FG and 35.7% threes), and has been even worse in this series with 88.2 PPG on 42.2% FG. The defense continues to carry the club to the brink of the conference finals by holding opponents to a meager 90.7 PPG on 40.5% FG during the playoffs. SF Paul George (21.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.0 SPG in series) exploded in Game 4 with 39 points on 12-of-20 FG (7-of-10 threes), but he followed that up with a poor 5-for-15 shooting night on Tuesday, scoring only 15 points with a minus-24 rating. C Roy Hibbert (12.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.0 BPG in series) was outstanding in his team's three straight victories in this series with 19.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.3 BPG and +47 rating, but has tallied a pathetic 2.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG and a minus-44 rating in the pair of losses. On Tuesday, the 7-foot-2 All-Star scored four points (2-of-7 FG) with two rebounds and a minus-27 rating.

PF David West (13.4 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 3.8 APG in series) continues to give his team consistent production, netting 17 points with six boards and three assists in Game 5. But after posting a stellar +63 rating in the first four games in this series, he tallied a horrendous minus-35 rating on Tuesday. PG George Hill (11.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG in series) has also had a strong series, but provided his worst effort of the second round in Game 5 when he scored only three points on 1-of-8 FG. Hill also tallied two turnovers and two assists and a terrible minus-30 rating in his 31 minutes. Backcourt mate SG Lance Stephenson (10.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.2 APG in series) failed to score in double-figures for the third straight game on Tuesday, and chipped in only three assists and zero rebounds with a minus-23 rating in an uninspiring 28 minutes. Although Stephenson made half of his shots (4-for-8 FG), he is still 18-of-54 FG (33%) in this series. Indiana's bench produced some strong minutes on Tuesday with all eight reserves scoring, while combining for 31 points (11-of-25 FG) and a +24 rating. This was quite an improvement from the bench's collective two points (1-of-9 FG) and minus-49 rating in Game 4.

Although the Wizards shot well from the floor in Game 5, they made only 5-of-18 threes (28%) and had nearly as many turnovers (19) as assists (21). For the series, the team is scoring only 88.2 PPG on 43.2% FG and 33.7% threes, while averaging a paltry 19.2 APG and 15.6 TOPG. But Washington's team defense has been excellent in the playoffs, where it has limited opponents to a mere 89.1 PPG on 42.2% FG. The offense was in high gear on Tuesday, especially in the second half when Washington scored 57 points. The star of Game 5 was clearly C Marcin Gortat (14.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG in series) who made a near perfect 13-of-15 FG to finish with 31 points, 16 boards and a +34 rating. This was quite a step up from his horrendous showing in Game 4 when he scored two points (1-of-3 FG) with three rebounds and a minus-11 rating.

But Gortat wasn't the only player to shine on Tuesday, as the backcourt of PG John Wall (14.6 PPG, 7.0 APG in series) and SG Bradley Beal (19.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 2.2 SPG in series) was outstanding. Two days after scoring only 12 points (4-of-11 FG) with a minus-21 rating, Wall poured in 27 points (11-of-20 FG) with a +30 rating in the Game 5 victory. But the superstar point guard has made only 38% FG and 24% threes (4-for-17) during this series. Beal finished his Tuesday with a well-rounded 18 points (7-of-17 FG), eight rebounds, four assists and a +23 rating. Beal has been the team's most consistent scorer versus Indiana with at least 16 points in all five games. Although SF Trevor Ariza (13.2 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.2 SPG in series) scored just 10 points on Tuesday, he also grabbed 10 rebounds with five assists. He's happy to return home where he has burned the Pacers for 14.0 PPG (53% FG, 4-of-10 threes), 12.0 RPG and 3.0 SPG in the two meetings this series.

The only Wizards starter that did not play well in Game 5 was PF Nene Hilario (10.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 BPG in series) who scored four points (2-of-6 FG), with four rebounds and four assists in his 24 minutes. After starting this series on a high note with 14.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in the first two games, Nene has averaged only 7.3 PPG (29% FG) and 3.3 RPG in the past three contests. But unlike the Pacers bench that played terribly in Game 4 and strong in Game 5, the Wizards were been just the opposite. After netting 32 points (13-of-26 FG) in Game 4, the Washington reserves accounted for only 12 points on 4-of-15 FG in Tuesday's victory.

 

[CNOTES]

Game 6 - Thunder at Clippers

May 14, 2014


Oklahoma City (66-28) at L.A. Clippers (63-31)

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 6 – Oklahoma City leads series 3-2
Tip-off: Thursday, 10:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Los Angeles -4.5, Total: 212

After another crazy finish in Game 5, Oklahoma City hopes to earn a ticket to the Conference Finals in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

It seems that no lead is safe when these two teams are facing each other, and that proved true once again on Tuesday night as the Thunder came back from a seven-point deficit with just 49 seconds to play and finished the game with a 105-104 win as 5.5-point favorites. Both teams shot 43% from the field in the game, but the difference in the end was turnovers. The Clippers gave the ball away 17 times, including twice in the final minute, while Oklahoma City had just 12 turnovers. While the teams shot nearly identical from inside the arc in the game (L.A. 26-of-61, OKC 26-of-60), they combined to go 19-for-44 (43%) from three-point range with L.A. going 12-for-27 (44%) and OKC going 7-for-17 (41%). PG Russell Westbrook (38 points) was the leading scorer in the game while Blake Griffin put up one of his better performances for the Clippers this postseason with a team-high 24 points and 17 rebounds in the loss.

The Thunder have been one of the best road teams in the league this season at 28-18 SU (23-22-1 ATS) in away games overall. Los Angeles has gone 4-2 SU at home this postseason, bringing its record at Staples Center to 38-9 SU (23-24 ATS). The series between these clubs has been tremendous for a few years now and Oklahoma City holds an SU record of 5-4 this year (4-5 ATS) while going 9-7 (SU and ATS) over the past three seasons. But there are positive betting trends for both teams here, with the Thunder at 12-2 ATS versus very good teams (6+ PPG margin) and 40-32 ATS versus great three-point shooting teams (6+ made threes per game). But the Clippers are certainly capable of payback with a 37-23 ATS mark when revenging a loss versus an opponent in the past two seasons and 20-10 ATS after an SU loss this season. SF Hedo Turkoglu (back) is the only player expected to miss this game for either team as he recovers from a back injury suffered in the first round against the Warriors.

The Thunder have always been an offensive threat with such prolific scorers on the team and have put up a solid 107.8 PPG (48% FG) over their past five games. SF Kevin Durant (30.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.3 BPG, 1.0 SPG in playoffs) failed to crack 30 points for the first time in four games on Tuesday as he went for 27 points on 6-of-22 shooting while adding 10 rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. Although his shooting was poor, he hit three of his final five shots and was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. PG Russell Westbrook (27.3 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.7 SPG in playoffs) has continued his tremendous play with his highest point total (38) of the postseason in Game 5 while also dishing out six assists, grabbing five rebounds and stealing three balls. Westbrook has recorded three steals in three of the five games in this second-round series, and is shooting an impressive 53% FG in the five games.

PF Serge Ibaka (12.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.3 BPG in playoffs) has not been too effective over the past two contests, averaging just 8.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.0 BPG while taking just 13 total shots. He has had trouble with fouls as well, finishing with four in game five and five in the previous two games. PG Reggie Jackson (10.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG in playoffs) was solid on Tuesday night off the bench with eight points, seven rebounds and two steals.

The Clippers were the top offensive team during the regular season and have now netted 109.7 PPG (47% FG) so far in the playoffs, while averaging 111.4 PPG (48% FG) this entire season when playing at home. PG Chris Paul (19.3 PPG, 10.3 APG, 3.0 SPG in playoffs) had his sixth straight double-double on Tuesday when he scored 17 points to go with 14 assists and four steals but fouled Westbrook while he was shooting a three at the end of the game and had two turnovers in the final minute of the game. Paul has had at least three steals in each of the past four games, but has been surprisingly poor from the charity stripe in this round, making just 13-of-19 (68%) after shooting 86% from the foul line in the regular season. PF Blake Griffin (23.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) has averaged 24.2 PPG in this series and grabbed double-digit rebounds for the first time this postseason when he pulled down 17 in Game 5. He has a steal in each of the past four games and is averaging 1.2 BPG over these five contests against the Thunder.

C DeAndre Jordan (9.7 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 2.8 BPG in playoffs) was virtually a non-factor in Tuesday’s game, putting up a goose egg for points and blocks while grabbing just four rebounds as he fouled out after just 20 minutes on the court. He has averaged just 1.0 BPG in this series after swatting away 4.0 BPG in the opening round. SG Jamal Crawford (16.5 PPG in playoffs) has put up 19.0 PPG over his past three games but has shot just 20-for-56 FG (36%) in that time. SG J.J. Redick (13.1 PPG in playoffs) had 16 points in Tuesday’s loss after averaging just 5.5 PPG in the previous two contests.

 

[CNOTES]

2014 Playoff Results

May 15, 2014


Betting Results

Second Round
Wager Favorites-Underdogs Home-Away
Straight Up 12-8 12-8
Against the Spread 8-12 8-12
Total
Over-Under 11-9


Eastern Conference Semifinals

(E1) Indiana vs. (E5) Washington
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Washington (+4, +155) at Indiana 102-96 Underdog Over (184)
2 Washington at Indiana (-4.5) 86-82 Underdog Under (187)
3 Indiana (+5, +180) at Washington 85-63 Underdog Under (183.5)
4 Indiana (+3.5, +145) at Washington 95-92 Underdog Over (179.5)
5 Washington (+5.5, +190) at Indiana 102-79 Underdog Under (181.5)
6 Indiana at Washington - - -
7 Washington at Indiana - - -


(E2) Miami vs. (E6) Brooklyn (Heat win 4-1)
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Brooklyn at Miami (-8) 107-86 Favorite Over (192)
2 Brooklyn at Miami (-6.5) 94-82 Favorite Under (192)
3 Miami at Brooklyn (+1, +100) 104-90 Underdog Over (188)
4 Miami (-2) at Brooklyn 102-96 Favorite Over (186.5)
5 Brooklyn at Miami (-7) 96-94 Underdog Over (189)



Western Conference Semifinals

(W2) Oklahoma City vs. (W3) L.A. Clippers
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Los Angeles (+5.5, +200) at Oklahoma City 122-105 Underdog Over (213.5)
2 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (-5) 112-101 Favorite Under (215)
3 Oklahoma City (+4.5, +165) at Los Angeles 118-112 Underdog Over (215)
4 Oklahoma City at Los Angeles (-5) 101-99 Underdog Under (214)
5 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City (-5.5) 105-104 Underdog Under (214)
6 Oklahoma City at Los Angeles - - -
7 Los Angeles at Oklahoma City - - -


(W1) San Antonio vs. (W5) Portland (Spurs win 4-1)
Game Matchup Score Favorite-Underdog Over-Under
1 Portland at San Antonio (-6.5) 116-92 Favorite Over (207)
2 Portland at San Antonio (-6.5) 114-97 Favorite Over (208.5)
3 San Antonio (PK, -110) at Portland 118-103 Favorite Over (208)
4 San Antonio at Portland (+4.5, +170) 103-92 Underdog Under (211)
5 Portland at San Antonio (-8.5) 104-82 Favorite Under (209)

 

[CNOTES]

Thursday, May 15

Game Score Status Pick Amount


Indiana - 8:00 PM ET Indiana +4.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY

Washington - Over 181 500 TRIPLE PLAY


Oklahoma City - 10:30 PM ET Oklahoma City +4.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

L.A. Clippers - Over 212.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

 

[CNOTES]

3rd Round Betting Angles

May 16, 2014


One month into the NBA Playoffs and we’re down to the Conference Finals. In just two weeks the season will conclude with the Championship Finals as the 2013-14 season winds its way to the finish line.

From our database, let’s take a peek and see what we can expect from teams in the Third Round of the playoffs.

Remember, all results are ATS (Against The Spread) in Third Round action since 1991, unless stated otherwise. Enjoy…

DOWN BUT NOT OUT

You can blow out a good team once. Twice is not as likely.

As we’ve learned, teams that fail miserably tend to bounce back rather than stay down. In fact, teams off a pointspread loss of more than 10 points are a very profitable 46-29-1 ATS in 3rd round playoff action.

Bring them in as a dog off a SU upset loss as a favorite and they improve to 15-5-1 ATS.

BETTER TEAMS MAKE NICE DOGS

Taking points with better teams will seldom put you in harm’s way.

Teams with a better win percentage takings points off a loss are 22-17-1 ATS on the blind. Bring them in off a loss of 4 or more points and they improve to 21-12-1 ATS.

Best of all, when taking 4 or more points with a better team off a loss of 4 or more points you have a 13-5-1 ATS winning edge.

RUNNING ON EMPTY

You can hold a good team down, but not for long.

Teams that reach the 3rd round of the playoffs have established themselves as being better than most. When good teams come up with sub par scoring efforts they tend to bounce back in followup games.

That’s confirmed by the fact the road teams in Round Three who scored 78 or fewer points in their previous game are a wallet stretching 15-6-1 ATS. Better yet, if the Over/Under total in this round is less than 186 points they improve to 13-3 against the number.

ITS WHAT’S TRENDING

Listed below are the best team trends for teams in Round Three of the post season.

Indiana: 17-8-2 ATS as a dog, including 4-1 ATS home.

Miami: 11-4 ATS off a loss, including 5-1 ATS off a SU favorite loss.

Oklahoma City: 11-4 ATS when O/U total is 199 or greater, including 5-0 ATS off a SUATS loss.

San Antonio: 10-2 ATS away off a win, including 6-0 ATS off a SU underdog win.

There you have it. Three rock-solid betting theories you can hang your hat on throughout the 3rd round of this year’s NBA playoffs.

 

[CNOTES]

Fearless Predictions

May 16, 2014


Eastern Conference Finals

Matchup Betting Notes

Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat Analysis: There has been plenty of intrigue in these playoffs, but we've arrived at the Eastern Conference finals most expected to see when we tipped off way back in late October. Despite winning the last meeting in South Florida, the Heat fell behind the Pacers in the regular season's final week and won't have homecourt advantage. It won't matter. The Heat will prove why in a June 1 series finale that will see them get over the hump in Game 7 once again, besting an Indiana team whose physical defense and size will inevitably give them more trouble than they've faced in Charlotte or Brooklyn. The Pacers haven't lost consecutive games this postseason, but their inconsistent effort on the boards and offensive ineptitude has seen them fail to protect their home floor far too often to trust here. It won't be easy, but LeBron James will again prove why he's at the top of his game, reaching a fourth consecutive NBA Finals in Miami.

Prediction: Heat win 4-3



Western Conference Finals

Matchup Betting Notes

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Analysis: The Thunder beat the top-seeded Spurs all four times in the regular season. Unlike that Brooklyn sweep of Miami we rightfully scoffed at, OKC's dominance matters, indicative of a glaring edge in speed and athleticism that should make the difference in these Western Conference finals. There are injury concerns to monitor in Tony Parker's tight left hamstring and Serge Ibaka's ailing left calf, not to mention Kawhi Leonard currently being at the top of his game as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with MVP Kevin Durant. Still, look for Oklahoma City to steal homecourt early in the series, making it pay off in a Game 6 series clincher that will ensure it gets to stay home to open the NBA Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Prediction: Thunder win 4-2

 

[CNOTES]

Thunder lose PF Ibaka for the postseason

May 16, 2014



OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Thunder forward and defensive specialist Serge Ibaka will miss the rest of the NBA playoffs because of a left calf injury.

Ibaka underwent an MRI on Friday, one day after Oklahoma City eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers and advanced to the Western Conference finals against the Spurs. Game 1 is Monday night in San Antonio.

Ibaka was injured during the third quarter of Thursday night's win.

Ibaka's athletic ability and mid-range jumper have been keys for the team. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 13 postseason games. During the 2013-14 regular season, he notched career-highs with 15.1 points and 8.8 rebounds while leading the league in total blocks for the fourth consecutive season with 219.

 

[Coldweather]

Good stuff man. Thank u!

:toast: